A Hot Dog IS a Sandwich

The Lance takes on the most important debate of our time

Craig Schulman, Editor-in-Chief|April 23, 2018

If someone can present any form of a reasonable or analytical argument to refute the idea that a hot dog is a sandwich, I will gladly change my opinion. In order to maintain the journalistic integrity of The Lance, I want to remind everyone of the Merriam-Webster dictionary definition of a sandwich: two or more slices of bread or a split roll having a filling in between. Just because this definition may not fit our own personal agendas does not mean we get to ignore it. Staff writer Alexandra George even acknowledges this definition in her article claiming that a hot dog is NOT a sandwich. She has done my work for me; my job should be over. Simply rejecting the dictionary definition of words is not an option. Without agreed upon definitions, our language would have no meaning, and we could not even have this debate in the first place.

Philosophical debates like that of the hot dog have raged throughout the ages without answers to this day. For example, questions over the existence of God or free will have stumped philosophers, scientists, professors, and experts. To get back to the most meaningful questions of human existence and end this weiner debate, mankind must come to grips and admit that a hot dog is a sandwich.

For those like George who choose to disregard the dictionary definition of a sandwich, the sandwich is different for everyone. Still, there are some basic traits of a sandwich that every reasonable person can agree upon. In its simplest form, a sandwich consists of a filling covered by bread. The order of these components depends on personal preference. If I want to eat a sandwich vertically, let me be.

The most controversial trait of a sandwich is the bread. Critics of the hot dog as a sandwich will often point to a hot dog roll as its downfall. However, the bread of a sandwich does not have to be split. In fact, the bread can either be two seperate pieces or be hinged like a roll. If connected bread did not count, other obvious sandwiches like the sub would be disqualified.

As a result, wraps, gyros, and burritos do not count as sandwiches. While perhaps in the same kingdom of food, they are not the same species because of this bread issue.

In an ideal world, a sandwich is not a hot dog. Founding editor of New York Times Cooking Mr. Sam Sifton acknowledges this unfortunate reality while outlining his Field Guide to the American Sandwich. He writes, “A hamburger is a marvelous sandwich, but it is one deserving of its own guide. The same holds for hot dogs.”

Grouping hot dogs into the jumble of the label of sandwich is an unfortunate reality we all must face. While I would love to separate the food into its own class, the definition of a sandwich is clear-cut. For the sake of consistency, we must agree that a hot dog is a sandwich to put to bed this debate. While a platypus does not look like a monkey, both are mammals. The same can be said for the American classics the PB&J and the hot dog.

Is a hot dog a sandwich?